Chapter 49 Unexpected bonds

Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Unexpected bonds

The students slowly came back to themselves, confusion spreading across their faces like a visible itch. Murmurs replaced the earlier chants as they glanced around, trying to understand why they were gathered in the first place.

"What are we doing here?" Emily asked, her voice rising in panic as she spotted the massive dragon looming nearby. She nearly screamed. "Get that beast away from me!"

Abigail, who had dismounted moments earlier, looked around in a daze. "Why is the dragon with me? Wasn’t it locked down in the school stables?" No one offered an immediate answer. Only Rose, Lamia, Noah, and the two Moonlight Alphas seemed to have any real idea of what had just transpired.

"What in the hell happened here?" Mrs. Danielle demanded, her tone sharp with frustration. The staff members exchanged blank looks. It appeared most of them had been under the same mysterious spell, except for Mr. Oliver, who stood nearby still visibly shocked that he had remained unaffected.

"Could you two quit kissing and explain what is going on?" Mrs. Danielle snapped, turning her attention to Noah and Damian. She could sense something dangerous lingering in the air, as if they had all walked straight into a carefully laid trap.

Noah pulled back slightly and faced her. "Okay, let’s start with the fact that you all tried to set Damian on fire." His words instantly chilled the atmosphere.

"You’re not serious, are you?" Mrs. Danielle replied, eyes widening. "Why would we do that?"

Killian stepped forward, equally confused. "What about the monsters? The ones that transformed right in front of you. Don’t you remember any of it?"

Eugene pressed further, but Mrs. Danielle shook her head firmly. "I don’t remember any monsters, and why would we set Damian on fire? This is completely illogical. And who the hell let the dragon out?" Silence followed her question. She sighed heavily. "This isn’t right. Are you telling me we were all under some kind of spell? That’s impossible. Controlling nearly the entire school at once shouldn’t even be possible."

She trembled internally, the same unease spreading through the other staff members. Susan’s earlier warnings echoed in her mind—the chosen one and the one destined to destroy him. Could that mysterious figure be behind this atrocious act?

"This isn’t going to slide," Mrs. Danielle muttered. "Calm down. We will settle this." Before she could continue, Emily raised her hand and was given permission to speak.

"Settle this? What the fuck is happening that you’re all hiding from us? Why were those two at the pillar, and why were we even here? If you can’t handle running this school, why don’t you just resign? Wouldn’t that be better?" Her words struck a nerve. Students around her began nodding in agreement, their frustration boiling over.

To show they meant it, groups started drifting away from the gathering, abandoning the scene. "We won’t take this bullshit anymore. You’re useless—just accept it," Sylvia chimed in. Emily ignored her, and soon Abigail and many others followed, leaving only the staff, the Moonlight Alphas, Noah, and a handful of others behind.

Noah turned his full attention back to Damian. "You’re fine, right? How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

Damian groaned, his body clearly in agony. "I don’t know exactly what happened. I think I passed out for most of it. Now everything just hurts." Noah nodded sympathetically and remembered Eugene’s injuries. He stood up carefully to check on him.

Eugene was in rough shape too. Several bones appeared fractured, and he struggled to move. "Arghhh... fuck my back," he hissed, clutching his spine as Noah tried to help him stand.

"I’m so sorry, Noah. This isn’t how your birthday was supposed to go. I really apologize," Eugene said through gritted teeth.

Noah offered a small smile. "It wasn’t your fault. None of this was supposed to happen." The original storyline had veered sharply into darker territory. What began as a supernatural series had twisted into something far more intense and unpredictable. "I have you guys. That’s what matters. Come on, let’s get you and Damian somewhere safe to heal."

Eugene nodded but paused, even with Noah’s support. "What about your birthday? I’m inconveniencing you. Go spend time with your friends. I can make it to the infirmary—the special center."

Noah shook his head firmly. "You’re not going there alone. My friends can help with healing, and I don’t trust the Dean or that place right now. I want nothing to do with the special center." He paused, letting out a soft sigh. "What kind of event do I need at this point to celebrate my birthday? This feels like more than enough—maybe more than I bargained for."

As he helped Eugene walk, Noah noticed Marcus watching from a distant corner. There was something unreadable in his eyes, but Noah didn’t care. The guy had become an unpredictable fool, and he had no energy left to deal with him.

Rose and Lamia rushed over moments later, gasping for breath. "Ashton, I can’t believe you disappeared like that! What happened? Where have you been? I thought we planned to study more about your situation in the library. Wasn’t that the deal?"

Noah nodded. "Guys, I have a lot to tell you later. I made some new discoveries too. I think I might be... different. Like something that could change history. I saw things I can’t explain yet." Lamia listened intently and nodded.

"If you saw something important, maybe it’s time we deal with your roommate as well," Rose suggested.

The mention immediately reminded Noah of his morning findings. His roommate carried that distinct lemon scent—the same one linked to the stranger. "What did he do?" Noah asked, still supporting Eugene’s weight.

Not long after, Damian and Killian joined the group, gathering protectively around Noah. "I passed by him earlier," Lamia continued, "and I sensed something demonic. It was unlike anything I’ve felt before—so powerful and deadly."

Noah felt his stomach twist. What if his roommate had been the one compelling the staff and students? The questions kept piling up, leaving him exhausted. Why did everything seem to circle back to hidden threats?

"You know what? Let’s head back to the dorm," Noah suggested. "I’m tired. We can do the party there instead."

Eugene, despite his injuries, managed a smile. "Are you for real? But aren’t you tired?"

Noah grinned back. "I should be saying that to you. You’re the injured one here—same with Damian." But the group refused to back down, their determination shining through the pain.

"We’re all doing this party," Damian declared firmly.

Noah glanced at Killian. "Even you? Are you sure you can handle it?"

Killian shrugged casually. "We won’t know until we try. Tonight we’ll see." He draped an arm over Noah’s shoulders while the others supported his hands, forming a close-knit circle as they moved away.

"Shouldn’t we tell him what we found out?" Lamia asked Rose quietly, worry evident in his voice.

Rose shook her head. "Let him celebrate. It wouldn’t be fair to ruin his day. Tomorrow we’ll share everything we discovered—no details left out."

As they walked into the distance, Mrs. Danielle stared at the now-empty grounds, realizing she had silently lost much of her authority over the student body. The incident had exposed cracks in the school’s control that would be hard to repair.

A short way ahead, Killian leaned in and whispered to Noah, "Little kitten, that kiss with Damian was hot. Maybe one day we’ll all share something like that together." Noah looked at him in surprise, his cheeks flushing a deep red as vivid images of an intimate foursome with the three Alphas flashed through his mind. He quickly tried to push the thoughts away. Oh dear, Noah—time to sanitize those ideas.

"You’re not angry?" Noah asked cautiously.

Killian nearly chuckled. "It was hot, and I’m open-minded. Life shouldn’t be boring, right?" Noah nodded, a small smile forming despite everything.

Damian glanced around. "Where’s Marcus..." but Noah cut him off quickly.

"Please don’t ruin my evening with that name." They continued walking, the group focused now on planning a more private birthday celebration in the dorm. The day’s chaos had tested them all, but it had also strengthened their unexpected bonds.

In a quieter corner of the grounds, Sylvia walked alone with a new female companion who seemed to serve as either a pawn or budding ally. Philip approached them with calculated steps.

"Hi there, beauty. What if I told you there’s a way to get your revenge on the Alphas and Ashton? Killing two birds with one stone. Are you in?" Sylvia smiled wildly, her expression eager.

"Any enemy of Ashton is my friend," she replied.

As they conversed, Philip observed her with hidden displeasure. For someone supposedly descended from powerful Emperor lines, she seemed remarkably shortsighted and easy to manipulate. Still, she was a useful tool for now—one he could use and discard when the time came. The real game was only beginning, and Philip intended to stay several steps ahead.